GAME INSTRUCTIONS
Trash Basket Toss
Materials
A trash basket. Sheets of paper to use to crumple into ball shapes.
Set Up
Place a trash basket in the center of the room. Crumple pieces of paper to
create “paper basketballs.”
To Play
Place the trash basket in the center of the room. Ask students to stand
in a circle around the can. Give each student a crumpled paper ball and
tell them you want them to try to find the easiest, most accurate way to
throw the paper balls into the trash basket. First, ask them to throw the
paper balls with no arc (in a straight line at the basket). Then, have them
try throwing the balls with an arc. Remind students that this arc is called
a “parabolic arc.” After they have finished throwing their paper balls, ask
them to think about which of the methods got the most paper balls into
the can.
Now place the trash basket against a wall and have them throw the
crumpled paper balls at the trash basket again. This time, aim to bounce
the crumpled paper balls off the wall and into the can. Ask them to think
about whether this method of shooting a “bank shot” was easier than just
throwing the paper balls directly at the basket in the center of the room
and which method was more accurate.
Have the students discuss their results and opinions. Then lead them
to understand how their findings relate to the scientific principles that
accompany these different ways of shooting. Refer to the principles on the
STEM in Sports basketball page for instruction and guidance as you play.
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GAME INSTRUCTIONS
Fill In Match
Materials
A copy of the Fill In Match worksheet. A pen or pencil. Access to the STEM in Sports
basketball page to use as reference to look up specific terms.
Set Up
Give each child a copy of the Fill In Match worksheet along with a pen or pencil.
Have the STEM in Sports basketball page pulled up for reference.
To Play
Explain to the children that the worksheet provides an opportunity to “match” the
actions that take place on a basketball court, such as a chest pass or a jump shot,
with the science or bioscience that make that action possible.
Ask the children to look at their worksheet and read the questions at the bottom
of the page. Then, tell the children to look at the column of words on the left side
of the page. Point out that this column represents actions that take place during
a basketball game. Explain that the column on the right contains the science and
biometric principles that make the action possible. Tell children that along with
matching an action from column one with a scientific or bioscience principle from
column two, they should also fill in the missing letters in column two.
They can use the word bank for extra help with the fill ins and refer to the STEM in
Sports basketball page for assistance with matching the words in the two columns.
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Fill In Match
Fill In Match Worksheet
Read the questions at the bottom of the page. Then, draw a line to match the action in the left column with the scientific principle
in the right column that will best help you answer the question. A word bank has been provided to help you fill in the blanks.
COLUMN 1
Word Bank
COLUMN 2
1. Free Throw
F_r_e
2. Strategy
Ax_s of_ot_t i_n
3. Chest Pass
Ba_ks_in
4. Bounce of a Ball
_ara_oic A_c
5. Bank Shot
En_r_y Tra_sfe_
6. Dribbling a Ball
Po_en_ial and K_ne_ic En_rg_
7. Jump Shot
A_r Pr_ss_re
8. Ball Handling
Kin_sth_tic Mem_ry
9. Bounce Pass
Vec_ _r
Parabolic Arc
Vector
Energy Transfer
Axis of Rotation
Kinesthetic Memory
Potential and Kinetic
Energy
Air Pressure
Force
Backspin
Fill In Match Questions
1. If a player wants to increase the chance
of making a free throw, what spin do they add?
4. When air molecules hit the inside of a basketball, what does this create?
2. A player can plan the direction they should 5. In a bank shot, the ball hits the backboard. move to score a basket if they know where What helps make the ball bounce into the they are in relation to other players on the net?
court. What helps a player choose a direction?
6. Dribbling a ball results in a constant 3. When you throw a chest pass, what do you conversion of energy. Name the two
give the ball through your body, arms and energies that are converted?
fingertips?
7. A jump shot sends the ball toward the net on a curved path. What is that path called?
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8. You become a good ball handler through lots of practice. When your body remembers
the motion of that practice, what is that
called?
9. A bounce pass uses the horizontal center of a ball to create spin. What is that center called?
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